1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of archery and, more particularly, to a device for stabilizing a nocked arrow on the bow with the bow in both drawn and at rest positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bow hunting and target competitions using bows and arrows have become very popular, especially with compound bows. In hunting situations, where the hunter must be prepared to draw the bow with little time for preparation, it is common to keep the rear part of the arrow nocked, or mounted on the bow string, at all times. The forward part of the arrow is supported most typically on a bow rest. However, the arrow is susceptible to slipping off the rest, particularly if the hunter is moving or positioning for an awkward shot. Many hunters have experienced the agony of having their arrow fall from the arrow rest at the moment they draw to take a shot at game. Once the bow string has been drawn back it is not only difficult, but extremely dangerous, to "draw down" a nocked broadhead when the arrow has fallen off the rest. This can also be very frustrating as the hunter may, as a result of motion and/or noise involved in resetting the arrow, spook the game and lose the opportunity to take a shot for which the hunter has waited and worked a long time.
One approach hunters have used to secure the arrow is to hold the arrow against the bow using the forefinger. This can be tiring as the wrist must be placed in an unnatural position and may need to be held there for several hours while the hunter waits for game. This unnatural positioning also compromises the hunter's strength and stability, as the hunter cannot maintain the straight arm positioning which is optimal for shooting due to the rotation of the wrist necessary to hold the arrow with the forefinger.
Many devices have been developed to address these concerns. The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,069 teaches a retractable arrow rest mechanism activated by the movement of the arrow. The design includes a safety locking assembly which holds the arrow in position with respect to the arrow support. To take a shot, the safety locking assembly must be cleared using a thumb operated lever. The lever's direction of motion is counter to proper wrist and hand alignment on the bow which could compromise the accuracy of the shot. Other disadvantages include the mechanical complexity of the design, the distinctive click of the mechanism as it snaps clear, and the need to reset the mechanism after each shot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,323 discloses an arrow retention device having a holding mechanism with closed and open positions. A release mechanism moves the holding mechanism between these positions. The release mechanism comprises a rotatable lever having a motion contrary to proper wrist and hand alignment on the bow. In addition to the alignment problem, the design is not adjustable and, because it incorporates its own rest, cannot simply be incorporated into a variety of existing bow set-ups.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,356 teaches an arrow holder having a trigger arm and a retaining wire mounted on a shaft. The shaft releasably engages the trigger arm so that, when the trigger arm is activated, the shaft is released and rotates away from the arrow. The location of the trigger is restricted by its method of mounting, and the process whereby the shaft is released creates unwanted noise and the need to reset the apparatus after every shot. Further, the design lacks the adjustability necessary to enable it to accommodate the variety of modern bow designs.
Each of these prior art designs mount opposite the arrow side of the bow, requiring them to be compatible with other accessories that necessarily also mount in this same area. The presence and location of such accessories restricts the range of adjustment available to the arrow holding devices. Additionally, the placement and operation of these prior art arrow holding mechanisms do not allow an arrow to be released effectively when such devices are engaged, due to interference of the mechanisms with arrow fletchings.
Other devices in the prior art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,235,958, 4,577,612, 4,949,699, and 2,483,928, represent solutions with limited application today, being largely incompatible with current bow designs. More particularly, modern bows typically rely upon an overdraw rest, enabling them to use shorter, and therefore lighter and faster, arrows. By shortening the arrows, the tip of the drawn broadhead is brought back and away from the front of the bow, and completely out of range of the workings of these prior art devices.